Women's Basketball 1/8/2020 1:00:00 PM Lauren Bryne, Sports Information Graduate Intern

Women's Basketball to Host Davenport and Grand Valley State This Weekend

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (7-6 overall, 1-4 GLIAC) will host Davenport (5-8 overall, 0-5 GLIAC) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, followed by a 5:00 p.m. matchup on Saturday against No. 3-Grand Valley State (13-0 overall, 5-0 GLIAC).

THE SERIES
WSU leads 3-1 in the all-time series vs. Davenport, which started in 2017. After dropping the inaugural contest against the Panthers on Dec. 16, 2017, Wayne State has won the last three matchups. The Green and Gold previously defeated Davenport, 79-59, at home on Feb. 2, 2019.

The Warriors trail 26-50 against Grand Valley State in the all-time series that started in 1974. WSU looks to upend the Lakers for the first time since 2015, when Wayne State posted an 89-63 home victory against then No. 17-GVSU. Last season, the teams met three times with the most recent meeting coming in the GLIAC Quarterfinals on March 5, 2019. The Green and Gold fell, 73-50, at seventh-ranked GVSU.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Davenport is currently 5-8 overall, with an 0-5 record in GLIAC contests. The Panthers fell 63-57 at Lake Superior State last Thursday, before suffering an 85-74 home loss against Ferris State on Saturday.

Currently ranked third in the GLIAC, freshman Madison Jones leads DU in scoring (18.2 PPG). Three other players average in double digits, including sophomore Toni Grace (16.5 PPG), senior Jenna Falkenberg (12.7 PPG) and freshman Elise Scaggs (10.9 PPG). Additionally, Grace ranks third in the conference with an .862 free throw percentage.

No. 3-Grand Valley State is undefeated thus far (13-0), including a 5-0 mark in league games. The Lakers recently edged Ferris State (72-68) last Thursday and upended Lake Superior State (57-39) on Saturday. GVSU will travel to fourth-ranked Ashland this Thursday before facing the Warriors.

Senior Cassidy Boensch leads both Grand Valley State and the GLIAC in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game. She also holds the top spots in rebounding average (9.8 RPG) and field goal percentage (.637). Classmates Maddie Dailey (14.5 PPG) and Jenn DeBoer (11.9 PPG) also average in double figures. Dailey is second in the league with a .609 field goal percentage, while DeBoer ranks second with 5.6 assists per contest.

LAST WEEK RECAP
Wayne State fell, 69-55, at Michigan Tech on Jan. 2. Wayne State shot just 29 percent (19-of-66) from the floor, while the Huskies were 40 percent (26-of-65) from the field. WSU was 10-of-11 (91 percent) from the charity stripe, while Michigan Tech was 5-of-8 (63 percent). The Warriors had a 50-40 advantage in rebounding and led 9-7 in steals. Senior Sadia Johnson and sophomore Grace George each recorded a team-high 13 points. George and classmate Sam Cherney both grabbed a game-best 14 rebounds, making this George's fourth career double-double.

The Warriors were edged, 58-56, at Northern Michigan last Saturday. A late rally was not enough for the Green and Gold. Wayne State shot 35 percent (18-of-52) from the floor, while NMU shot 43 percent (19-of-44) from the field. WSU was 17-of-21 (81 percent) from the charity stripe, while the Wildcats were 11-of-14 (79 percent). The Warriors trailed 33-23 in rebounding, but led 25-18 in bench points. Johnson scored a team-best 16 points, including 5-of-5 from the charity stripe, while Cherney grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

GLIAC RANKINGS
Sophomores Grace George and Sam Cherney are ranked third and fourth, respectively, in rebounding at 9.5 boards per game each. George is also ranked third in defensive rebounds (86), while Cherney is second in offensive boards (43).

Senior Nastassja Chambers is second in the conference with an .864 free throw percentage (38-of-44), while classmate Sadia Johnson ranks fifth (.849 // 45-of-53).

Wayne State leads the conference with 43.4 rebounds per game, while ranking third in blocks per game (3.8) and fourth in free throw percentage (.733).

DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Three players have recorded their first career double-doubles this season, including sophomores Sam Cherney and Grace George, and junior Tori Perez.

George has tallied five double-doubles this season. Her first was vs. Tiffin (11/26) with 11 points and 11 rebounds and her second was at Ferris State (12/5) with 18 points and 12 boards. George also earned double-doubles at Fairmont State (12/18) with 13 points and a career-best 18 rebounds, and vs. Cedarville with 22 points and 16 boards. She recorded her most recent double-double at Michigan Tech (1/2) with 13 points and 14 rebounds.

Cherney and Perez each have one double-double. Cherney notched hers against Central State (11/13) with 10 points and a season-best 11 rebounds, while Perez earned her double-double versus Tiffin (11/26) with a career-high 12 points and 10 boards.

BUILDING BLOCKS TO SEASON HIGHS
On January 2, 2020, Wayne State had a season high of eight blocks at Michigan Tech. Prior to that, WSU most recently blocked eight shots on February 22, 2018, once again at MTU.

The Warriors are averaging 3.8 blocked shots per contest, which ranks second in single-season history at WSU. The 2012-13 squad holds the top spot with 4.3 blocks per game.

This season, Wayne State has tallied 50 blocks, ranking 30th in a single season at WSU. The number one spot is occupied by the 2012-13 squad with 134 blocks.

As a sophomore, Sam Cherney leads the squad in blocks. Her total of 25 blocks this season is tied-for-11th in single-season history. She is on pace to pass her mark of 30 blocks set last year, which is tied-for-seventh. Cherney is also first in blocked shots average for a single season, with 1.9 blocks per contest. In less than two seasons she has accumulated 55 career blocks, ranking ninth in Wayne State history.

SENIOR SCORER
Senior Nastassja Chambers, who is on pace to become the third 1,000-point scorer in school history to average in double figures all four seasons, joining Monique Johnson (1988-93) and Delonda Little (1991-95), became the sixth player in school history to score at least 1,200 career points and third player in the last six years, joining Shareta Brown (2013-15 // 1,245 points) and Shannon Wilson (2014-18 // 1,228 points). When Brown reached this milestone in 2015, she was the first since 1993.

BEYOND THE ARC
Senior co-captain Alex Matus became the 13th player in Wayne State history with 100 made three-pointers vs. Wright State-Lake on Nov. 21, 2019. Matus is currently 11th in three-point field goals made (108) and 15th in three-point field goal percentage (.328 / 108-of-329 - min. 50 made).

TOUGH COMPETITION
Two GLIAC teams were ranked in the top five of the WBCA D2 Coaches Poll on Jan. 7th. Grand Valley State remained third behind Drury and Lubbock Christian, with an overall record of 13-0. Ashland continues to rank fourth (13-0).

NEW BASKETBALL ARENA
In May of 2019, it was announced that WSU Athletics and the Detroit Pistons would be partnering to construct a $25 million basketball arena on the west side of the athletic campus.

The approved plan includes construction of a 70,000 square-foot arena near the intersection of Warren and Trumbull avenues with seating capacity for approximately 3,000 fans, office space and locker room areas for both WSU's men's and women's basketball teams, a concessions area and other ancillary spaces. The arena will be ready for play in the 2021-2022 basketball season.

The Pistons G-League team will also call the new facility home.

LOCKER ROOM REPORT
Check WSUAthletics.com every week to watch Carrie Lohr's weekly locker room report. She will recap the week's previous games and preview upcoming opponents.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
All Wayne State home women's basketball games can be watched via Warrior All-Access for a $5.95 per game fee. All home contests during the 2019-20 season will be available on All-Access. Monthly passes are available for $9.95, and year-long access is offered for $69.95.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Nastassja Chambers: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#13 Sam Cherney: F; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#32 Grace George: F; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#14 Sadia Johnson: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#11 Alex Matus: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#44 Tori Perez: F; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#3 Nastassja Chambers
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#13 Sam Cherney
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: F

#32 Grace George
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: F

#14 Sadia Johnson
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#11 Alex Matus
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#44 Tori Perez
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F